Trevor’s Wildlife Week for 16th August 2018

Rescuing baby deer from Burwash and Hadlow Down

A stunning melanistic young fallow deer was delivered to our Casualty Centre from Burwash at the weekend. The poor creature was found next to its dead mum. The young deer ran over to walkers bleating away. They managed to capture it and bring it to the hospital. Once here WRAS’s Care team took over and were able to check her over and give rehydration fluid. Luckily deer specialist Chris and Sylvia were close by at the time and arrived quickly to collect it and take it back to their home up on Ashdown Forest where they are rearing several others.

Katie bottle feeding Burwash Deer

Frequently young baby deer are found by walkers. The general advice is to leave well alone. It is normal for parent deer to leave their young hidden in long grass or other vegetation. However, parents do get killed on roads or killed by humans leaving orphaned young. It is important that these baby deer are not moved, if in doubt about whether the deer is orphaned phone for advice first before touching them. The young deer will normally start to wander off when mum does not return. If found in an exposed place like short grassland – not hidden – and at risk from dog walkers or other similar hazards then the baby deer may well have been abandoned. Do not move the deer unless advised to do or in immediate danger like being run over by vehicles etc.

Hadlow Down Deer Rescue

We also had a difficult deer rescue off Stonehurst Lane near Hadlow Down last week. The fallow buck had some form of nylon netting or baler twine attached to its antlers which in turn was attached to a barbed wire fence. The deer was frantically struggling to get free and needed help.

Hadlow Down Deer Rescue

We sent two veterinary ambulances with a team of four rescuers and a student. We used a walk-to-wards net to gain control of the deer which gave me the opportunity to pin the deer to the floor and gain control. Rescuer Ellie helped me secure the deer whilst Victoria and Karen started cutting away at the netting. The deer was in an awkward position and location next to the dilapidated fence making it difficult for me to have full control over the deer. He struggled on several occasion trying to kick out during the rescue but luckily we manage to keep control.

Hadlow Down Deer Rescue

Despite some damage to the antlers, the injuries were not serious enough to warranted bringing in to captivity which would have proven very stressful, so it was agreed the deer would be released. That in itself was not going to be easy with the fence.

Hadlow Down Deer Rescue

We didn’t want to the deer to run towards the road and the deer would have to jump free and straight away cross the fence it had been attached to, but with a bit of a struggle the deer was released and ran off into the woods to recover.

Hadlow Down Deer Rescue

Seals at Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne

We have had a few calls about the seals at Sovereign Harbour this week with one person thinking there was blood on one of the flippers. Rescuer and Marine Mammal Medic Chris Riddington went down to have a look but couldn’t see anything wrong, but the seal was in a difficult location to access at the time.

Unusual bird from Newhaven Port

We have had an unusual bird come in from Newhavern Port Security. The poor little bird was unable to fly. It is very similar to a sandpiper. Due to the specialist nature of these birds which we hardly ever have in care, we have passed him onto the RSPCA at Hastings for more specialist facilities.

Woodpecker from Horam

Poorly bats and woodpeckers

We have had a poorly green woodpecker come in from Horam. He can’t fly and may have flown into something. Although not weak enough to jump up and hang onto Chris’s top whilst he was trying to assess the poor bird.

We have had more bats this week too so been up to Jenny at Forest Row a few times too.

About Trevor Weeks

Trevor Weeks MBE
Operations Director for East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS)
Trevor started undertaking wildlife rescue and conservation work in 1985 when just 13 years old, and his life has been dedicated to the care of wildlife ever since. East Sussex Wildlife Rescue was established as a voluntary group in 1996 and became a registered charity in 2005. WRAS now has four veterinary ambulances and a Casualty Care Centre on the A22 between Hailsham and Uckfield capable of looking after up to 200 casualties at a time. The charity is primarily run by volunteers and relies of donations to fund its award winning life saving service.

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